3D-Printed Paintings Let The Blind “See” Famous Art For The First Time

The Unseen Art project wants blind and visually-impaired people to be able to enjoy classical art in museums and galleries. With 3D-printing and an IndieGoGo fundraiser, their mission could soon be a reality.

Inspired by similar projects, like 3D photos and ultrasound scans, Helsinki-based designer Marc Dillion turned his attention to art.

On a promotional video he says, “Imagine not knowing what Mona Lisa’s smile looks like, or Van Gogh’s sunflowers. Imagine you heard people talking about them and knew they existed, but could never experience them for yourself. […] For the millions of people who are blind, that’s a reality.”

The project uses 3D imaging and sand-based 3D-printing to create high-quality, scale models that can be displayed in museums.

“It would be a revolution to get blind people going to art galleries — people hate them because there is nothing there to touch,” says Marc.

The Unseen Art project is currently raising money to create an online platform for artists to submit work in 3D format, so anyone with a 3D printer can enjoy it.

This video of Rikka “seeing” the Mona Lisa for the first time shows just how life-changing the project’s work is:

To find out more about the Unseen Art project, head to their website. If you want to donate, you can find their IndieGoGo page.